Cash-register system



G M. GORDEN.,

CASH REGISTER SYSTEM.

APPL

JUNE I5, 1920 Patented June 20, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

G M. GORDEN..

CASH REGISTER. SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1.5, 1,920.

Patented June 20, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Zlwuca a fox UNITED STATES PATENT oi-"F ca.

G MURL GORDEN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

CASH-REGISTER SYSTEM.

Application filed June 15,

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G MURL GoRnEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Cash-Register System, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of means for automatically effecting the substantially simultaneous actuation of two or more cash registers and similar machines, whereby the manually efiected operations of one register are promptly and accurately transmitted to and duplicated in a remote register to afford the attendant of the latter reliable indication of the frequency and amount of sales represented by the operations of the first mentioned register.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out banks or rows The numerals 6 indicate the correspond- 7 ing levers of another or secondary register which is remotely located relative to the levers 5 of the first named register and are automatically actuated thereby.

A contact 7 is arranged below and in the path of each of the key levers 5 and consists ofa casing 8 receiving an expansible coil spring 9 confined between the bottom of the casing and a vertically movable button 10 which is adapted to be engaged and depressedby the key levers 5. Each contact 7 is rigidly secured to a suitable support 11 .by a bolt 12 which latter constitutes a bind ing post for one terminal of a wire forming Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1922.

1920. Serial No. 389,146.

part of an electrical circuit to be hereinafter more fully described.

An axially elongated ratchet wheel 13 is rotatably supported beneath the row of key levers 6 of the secondary cash register and the teeth thereof are arranged to engage pawls 14 pivotally secured at 15 to the levers 6. The pawls are normally maintained in retracted or inoperative position by contractile springs 16.

Aseries of electromagnets 17 corresponding, in number to the number of key levers 6 is arranged in front of each bank or row and has associated therewith an armature 18 carried by a pivoted arm 19 suitably supported at 20 for swinging movement in the direction of the axis of the magnets. The upper terminals of the pivoted arms are connected by links 21 with the pawls 14 and the arrangement of the electromagnets 17 is such that when energized,'they effect forward movement of the armatures 18 by .magnetic attraction and shift the arms 19 so as to move the pawls 14 into operative relation to the teeth of the ratchet wheel 13.

During the period of operation of the cash registers, the ratchet wheel 13'is constantly rotated at a required speed for such purpose b a motor 22 having connection with the w eel through a belt or other power transmitting device 23 so that as one or more of the pawls 14 of the key levers 6 are moved into operative relation with the ratchet wheel 13 the same exerts a downward pull upon the pawl or pawls engaged thereby and effects an automatic depression of the key lever for the consequent actuation of the registering mechanism of the cash register.

Itis to be here noted that, in addition to the speed of the ratchet being sufiicient to effect proper en agement of the pawls 14 therewith, regardless of the time period of the depression of the cash register levers 5' for the closing of the circuits through the magnets 17, the contacts 7 are spring sustained to give a retarded downwardvmovement to the levers 5 and, upon the release of the latter by an operator, remain in contact therewith during the major upward movement of the same to final circuit breaking position, which time period of operation of the magnet 17 is entirely satisfactory to assure of the pawls 14.being actuated into the path of the ratchet wheel 13.

5A deflecting finger 24 is arranged beneath each pawl 14 and is so. disposed as to retract the pawl from the teeth of the ratchet wheel 13 as the key lever 6 approaches the limit of its downward movement.

One pole of a battery 25 or other source of electro-motive force is connected by conductors 26 with one terminal of the electromagnet coil 17 Whereas the opposite pole of the battery is connected by a conductor 27 with each or the key levers 5 of the main or primary cash register. The opposite terminals of the coils of the magnets 17 are connected by conductors 28 with the binding post 12 and, as will be understood, the key evers 5 are constructed of metal or such conducting material.

Each contact 7 is separately connected with its respective electromagnet 17 by an individual conductor 28 whereby, the manual actuation of any one of the key levers 5 in the primary cash register produces automatic energization oi the electromagnet 17 controlling the operation of the corresponding key lever B in the secondary cash register.

The invention is especially designed for utilization in mercantile establishments wherein it is desirable to reproduce in the office of the establishment the successive operations oi the cash registers located in vari ous departments. Furthermore, by this arrangement of cash registers the person in charge of the distribution or sales people may readily determine the condition oi business in each department and thereby maintain a suitable force to carry on the business, according to the volume of the latter.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, primary and secondary registering machines each including key levers, pawls connected to the levers of the secondary registering machine, rotating means engageable with the pawls for effecting automatic actuation of the key levers of the secondary registering machine, electromagnetic means for moving the pawls into operative relation with the last mentioned means, and means actuated by the key levers of the primary registering machine for controlling the magnetic means.

2. In combination, primary and secondary registering machines each including a plurality of key levers, pivoted pawls carried by the key levers of the secondary machine, rotating means engageable with said pawls for effecting an automatic operation of the key levers or the secondary registering machine, means constantly actuating said rotating means, electromagnetic means for moving the With the first mentioned means, a normally open electrical circuit for eachoi' the mag netic ,means, and means controlled by the key levers of the primary registering ma chine for controlling said circuit.

In testimony whereof, I atiix my signature hereto.

G MJURL GORDEN.

pawls into operative relation 

